Waikato schools to receive $4mil for new classrooms

Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today that around $4 million will be invested to build a total of 11 new classrooms at six Waikato schools.

The schools are:

• Raglan Area School – two new classrooms

• Whatawhata School – two new classrooms

• Forest Lake School – one new classroom

• Hamilton East School – three new classrooms

• Kaipaki School – one classroom

• Matangi School – two classrooms.

Parata says, “This is part of a second round of investments in new classrooms under Budget 2016, which provides $882.5 million for school property, including 480 new classrooms to meet roll growth.”

The first round of investments was announced in May and June this year. That saw Waikato benefit from around $30 million for the new Sylvester Primary School and the expansion of Endeavour Primary School in Hamilton.

“Like other parts of the country, the Waikato is experiencing population growth and that’s having a flow-on effect on local school rolls. Today’s announcement, and the investments announced earlier this year, show the Government is committed to expanding capacity at schools experiencing roll growth.”

More announcements as part of the second round of investments in roll growth classrooms will be made over the coming weeks, with a third round of investments expected to be announced in February next year.